A VR-based the emergency rescue training system of railway accident.

•This article illustrates an attempt to build a virtual training system for people who work on the recovery processes after railway accident.•VR technology is a new way of content displaying and human–machine interaction, and could be used adjunct to potentiate existing training.•It allows users to study and practice the rescue operating methods in a virtual environment that closely resembles the real environment they will encounter on-site.